A profile of Australian women practicing breast self-examination

Breast self-examination (BSE) and medical breast examination practices were studied in a group of 1,103 women without diagnosed breast cancer, randomly sampled to conform in age and social status with breast cancer cases from the population of Brisbane, Australia between 1981 and 1985. Relationships between these practices and sociodemographic factors, breast cancer risk indicators, health related behaviors and source of knowledge about BSE were analyzed. Overall, 63% of women reported performing BSE. BSE was practiced frequently (monthly or more). BSE frequency was only weakly associated with breast cancer risk indicators. It was more strongly linked with age, the 20-44 year group being more likely to examine their breasts occasionally and the women 65 years and over being less likely to examine their breasts. Married women were the most likely to practice BSE frequently and widowed or single women most likely never to practice. Women who underwent cervical smear testing were more likely to perform BSE than those who did not have smear tests. Women who learned BSE from their doctors as opposed to other sources practiced BSE more frequently and were more likely to practice BSE exactly as taught.